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J. TRIPP.

SEWING MACHINE Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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- J. TRI PP- SEWING MACHINE.

No. 460,454. Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES TRIPP, OF NFAV YORK, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,454, datedSeptember 29, 1891.

Application filed April 29, 1891. Serial No. 390,971. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs TRIPP, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improve,

ments in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The present improvements relate to threadretaining mechanismthat is, tomechanism whereby the needle-thread is seized and held at the time theloop is being formed by passing over the shuttle and then is freed-theparticular function of this mechanism being to hold the loose end of theneedle-thread at the time sewing is begun.

The invention consists of new and improved means whereby the needlethread is at the desired intervals seized and retained between twopieces or jaws, one of which jaws has a Vibrating motion relative to theother jaw and is arranged and operated so that its threadcngaging edgereciprocates across the path of the needle-thread and also across thethread-engaging edge of the other jaw.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom face of a sewing-machine base,showing one form of my thread-retainer. Fig. 2 is a plan detail View ofthe retainer-jaws. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same through thepivot, looking from left of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the basein normal position on plane 00 m of Fig. 1, but ona larger scale. Fig.5is a front elevation View of the same parts, the shuttle being shown inplace and the scale being as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan View fromtop of base-plate of the same parts, the scale being as for Fig. 1. Fig.7 is a front View of the shuttle-race and adjacent parts and of anotherform of threadretaining mechanism also embodying the invention. Fig. 8is a Vertical section in the plane of the shuttle-shaft. Fig. 9 is aplan of the same parts.

Referring to the views in detail, 1 is the base of the machine, 2 is theshuttle-shaft, 3 is the shuttle, 4 is the shuttle-race, 5 is abobbin-holder, 6 is a shaft for vertically operating the feed-plate andis connected to shaft 2 by the usual form of eccentric-rod 7, (all shownin dotted lines,) and 9 is the needle or the needle-hole.

10is one of the retaining-jaws. It consists of a thin plate-like pieceof metal. Its arm 11 is secured to the base 1 in a suitable depression12, Fig. 5, by screw 13, and in such position that its thread-engagingedge 14 r outer end of the arm 17 of the movable jaw is bent down andpasses through a slot 18 in the end of the link 19, and this end of thislink is supported in a slot 20, Figs. 1 and 5, cut in the shuttle-bracket 21, depending from the under face of the base-plate. The otherend of link 19 is pivoted to one arm of the angle-lever 22, which ispivotally supported in the base-plate 1 by screw 23. The other arm ofthis lever enters a slot in the pitman-arm 24, which is forked to slideon shaft 6, and is eccentrically mounted at its other end on theshuttle-shaft 2. It will now 'be seen that as the shuttle-shaft rotatesthe edge of the movable thread-retaining jaw is reciprocated across theedge of the other jaw. The parts are so timed to the shuttle that afterthe needle reaches the end of its downward excursion and has commencedto rise the movable jaw comes into contact with and forces theneedle-thread between its upper flat face and the lower face of thefixed jaw, whereby the thread is held until the loop has passed abouthalf-way around the shuttle. Thus at the beginning of sewing the freeend of the thread is retained long enough to be secured by theshuttle-thread, and it is not required to hold it by hand.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I show another and the preferred way of pivotallysupporting and vibrating the movable thread-retainin g plate or jaw, andalso I show another form 'of fixed plate or jaw.

25 is the fixed jaw. It consists of a narrow plate of thin metal securedin proper position at each end and on opposite sides of the needle tothe bed-plate. This plate is pierced by the needle hole or slot 26, oneedge of which corresponds to the edge ll of the jaw 10 of Figs. 1 to (i.

27 is a rocking arm pivotally mounted on the shuttle-shaft bracket 28,and is slotted to receive the eccentric cam 29 on the shuttleshaft. Fromthe upper end of the arm proj ects forward and across the upper face ofthe plate 25 to the needle the movable thread-retaining jaw 30. This jawis rounded off at its end next the needle and preferablyit is slightlyhooked. It is also sufficiently elastic to properly hold and to yield tothreads of different thickness. As the shuttle-shaft rotates, themovable jaw is caused to vibrate by the needle and over the needle-slot,thus engaging the needle-th read at the proper time and holding the samebetween its under face and the upper face of the fixed plate. It is tobe noted that each of these forms of thread-retaining devices grasps thethread between the adjacent faces of the two plate-like pieces or jaws,one of which has a vibrating motion relative to and across the edge ofthe other with a shear-like action. This is essential to the successfuloperation of such mehanism, as by this action are the jaws cleared oflint and other material and collections tending to interfere with theproper thread-retaining action of the jaws are prevented; also, thethread is frictionally retained by an extended slight grasp of the partsas contrasted with firmly pinching or nipping the thread by parts thatabut and compress the thread at one point. In mechanisms heretoforeproposed, where the thread-nipping parts abut, the lint and floss andother like matter are collected and compacted by such abutting parts,causing clogging and ineffectual working of the mechanism. Furthermore,so far as I am informed,

such abutting parts depend upon spring action for producing the nippingpressure, and, by reason of this yielding pressure, as collections occurthe moving nipper is gradually prevented from closing on its companionand the very purpose of the parts is defeated. \Vith my thread-retainer,however, the moving jaw is positive in action, and the jaws are therebyand by the motion of one across the edge of the other forced to clearthemselves of any collections.

It is of course obvious that the movable jaw of the thread-retainingparts may be variously operated from any suitably-moving part of thesewing-machine mechanism.

The mechanism of Figs. 7, 8, and 9 is preferred by me to themodification thereof shown in Figs. 1 to 6; but I have successfullyadapted and usein full size practically-workingsewingmachines both formsof mechanism shown.

\Vhat is claimed as new is 1. The combination, in a sewing-machine, ofthread-retaining jaws arranged one above the other and located close tothe needle-path, one of the jaws being vibrated relatively to the other,with its thread-engaging edge reciprocating across the path of theneedlethread and the thread-engaging edge of the other jaw and beingoperatively connected with the driving mechanism of the machine,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a sewing-machine,

- of the plate 25, having the needle-hole 26, the

thread-retaining jaw 30, arranged and operated to reciprocate across theneedle-hole and the thread-engaging edge of said plate, the vibratingarm 27, carrying said jaw, and the shuttle-shaft and cam thereon foroperating said arm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES TRIPP. YVitnesses:

Rom. F. GAYLORD, FRANK B. MURPHY.

